The Opera
by Azura Songstress
Summary: Lucy takes a job that requires an opera singer. This time it's not the money that calls to her, but the opera itself. This time, she gets the closure she never thought she needed. Natsu x Lucy. Read and Review please


**Hey, everyone.**

**I wrote this coz I've been listening to opera lately. (luv it 3)**

**Just something random.**

**I made up the poem on the spot and just used google translation to turn it to Italian.**

**So this fic should not be taken down since the song/poem is mine. Copyright 2014.**

**Enjoy ^_^**

**I also couldn't be stuffed rereading it. I just wanted to post it before I left for work.**

**So I apologise in advance for any and all mistakes made in this story.**

* * *

><p>Lucy sighed as she stood before the board, searching for a job to do alone.<p>

"Hi, Lucy," Mira greeted, smiling as she approached the blonde.

"Hey, Mira," Lucy sighed again.

"Are you thinking about a solo mission?"

"I need the money and it just seems that every mission I go on with Natsu, the collateral damage expenses supersedes the reward."

Mira stood with Lucy as she skimmed over the jobs.

"Oh, how about this one?" She asked, offering it to the blond. "I've heard you singing softly to yourself when the place is quiet."

Lucy took a look at the job.

"A wanted opera singing?" Lucy asked incredulously.

"Have you ever been to an opera?" Mira asked.

She continued to talk about her experience while Lucy's thoughts drifted off.

She went to a lot of operas, considering her mother liked to sing opera on the side. In the closest town to the Heartfilia manor, Jude had an performing arts building built where they hosted many opera performances for Layla to take part in. They were a hit.

As irony would have it, it was that same place in Halla.

"Lucy?"

"I'll...I'll do it."

Mira looked at her friend in concern. "You don't have to if you don't want to, Lucy."

Putting on a brave face, she smiled at Mira. "No, it's all good. I want to."

With that, she left.

* * *

><p>Stopping before the large building, Lucy stared up at it.<p>

"L-Layla?" A voice stuttered out.

Her eyes snapped down to the man standing atop the stairs leading in. Michel. He was a lot older then she remembered but she knew it was him without a doubt. He was the entertainment planner.

"N-No. Michel, it's me; Lucy. I'm Layla's daughter."

The man was still staring at her like he had seen a ghost before her words had clicked in his head.

"Oh, Lucy, my dear! It is so good to see you!" Michel greeted.

"I'm here about the job you asked of Fairy Tail."

Michel looked at her for a moment. "Oh?"

"Yeah, I'm a wizard now. I saw you needed an opera singer and I thought I'd give it a shot."

"Then come in," he said happily. "If your voice is anything like your mothers', I'd be happy to have you. The show isn't for another couple of weeks but practice makes perfect!"

As she entered the main hall, she was hit with sudden nostalgia.

Walking through the large hall slowly, she could remember when the opera house was at it's best; shiny floors, sparkling lights, polished gold rails. Now it was darker and a little more run down, having lost business since Layla passed away.

Michel rambled on about how the place didn't receive much attention once Layla was gone and how he had moved on and only on a whim had decided to give the opera house a grand finale worthy of Layla's legacy.

Once they entered the actual auditorium, Lucy felt her heart break. What was once a place of golden rails and red cushioned seats was covered by plastic, dust and rust.

In the middle of the large stage was the gigantic diamond chandelier. Her breath caught in her throat.

Michel noticed and quickly spoke up. "Worry not, Lady Lucy. The chandelier had been keep hidden away for safe keeping and we are merely setting it up again."

Holding a hand to her heart, she looked around the stage where a white grand piano sat to the side. As one of the men helping to restore the opera cleaned one of the large window panes on the roof, a single stream of light trickled in, shining on the stage.

Lucy gasped, spotting a glittering figure briefly upon the stage. She could never forget that smile.

The figure faded and Lucy blinked before wiping away the tears that had fallen without her notice. Hearing a sniffle, she turned to see Michel looking towards the stage. Her eyes wandered around the room of people restoring the glory of the opera house, finding similar reactions meaning she wasn't the only one to see it.

"Michel, contact everyone you know," Lucy declared. "The Heartfilia Opera House will hold a Grand Finale fitting of my mother's legacy."

Michel could only stare in shock at this little girl-turned-woman before he thanked her and rushed off.

"Your mother would be so proud."

* * *

><p>Mira read the note sent by courier pigeon and couldn't help the tears that came to her eyes.<p>

"Mira-nee, is something wrong?" Lisanna asked, looking to her sister worriedly.

Mira wiped away the tears to see Lisanna and Erza standing by her.

"It's a letter from Lucy," she explained. "She needs our help."

* * *

><p>"Thank you for this, Loke," Lucy smiled at the Lion Spirit.<p>

Loke shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Lucy. I could feel that this was something that means a lot to you."

"But you brought them all with you," she spoke, gesturing to the other spirits who had come through their own gates to help restore the grand building to its former glory.

"It would be an honor to do this last thing for Lady Layla," Capricorn bowed politely.

"Don't forget about us!"

Turning to the doors, Lucy found her guild equipped with cleaning spray, mops, buckets, cloths and gloves.

Tears welled in her eyes again.

"Thank you so much everyone."

"Alright, everyone! We need this place in tip top shape by the end of next week and we are going to scrub every nook and cranny!" Levi announced, getting them all pumped.

"Where are the guys," she asked Erza, noticing Gray, Natsu, Laxus, Gajeel and Gildarts were missing.

"They were all on missions. They should be getting back next week."

"Will they be here for the performance?" The spirit mage asked, both glad and disappointed.

"I'm not too sure. Sorry, Lucy."

"It's okay. We have plenty of time," Lucy smiled back.

* * *

><p>News spread that Heartfilia Opera House was being readied for its biggest performance to date and soon, Halla Town found itself filled to the brim. Many had to find lodging in towns close by due to the sudden swarm of people.<p>

As the countdown to the performance grew closer, doubts raised.

But none came from Lucy herself, no.

But from the audience. They heard nothing about the singer, only about the show. Even the guilds heard about it but because they heard it from Makarov first, they knew it was Lucy who was performing.

"Don't worry about cleaning, Lu-chan," Levi rushed as she drove Lucy away. "We've got it covered. You should get to practicing. Tomorrow is the big night!"

Lucy hesitated long enough to witness new arrivals through the door.

Laxus and Gildarts stormed in, thankfully the doors were open otherwise they would have been destroyed.

"What's the emergency?" Laxus asked Makarov.

When Makarov turned to explain things to them, Lucy turned to Mira who smiled back innocently.

"I may or may not have left a note for the boys saying there was an emergency."

Before she could respond she was shooed by Levi.

* * *

><p>The night finally arrived.<p>

Lucy sat in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. Erza, Mira and Levi stood behind her while Cancer fiddled with her hair before deciding on an elegant bun with a few curled strands falling from it while some of her bangs framed her face.

Her dress was a blue ball gown with a long train behind it. Sparkling jewellery hung around her neck and wrists.

"Thank you, Cancer," she spoke as she reached for the diamond circlet beside her.

As she placed it on her head, the dangling sapphire tapped her forehead and she smiled softly. Loke appeared then, dressed in his usual tuxedo.

"It's a full house," he announced.

Lucy nodded.

"Are you nervous, Lu-chan?" Levi asked.

"Very, but I know I can do this," Lucy smiled.

"It pains me to know I cannot join you on stage," Erza pouted.

"Remember what happened last time on stage? You got stage fright."

Lucy turned back to herself in the mirror. Shifting around, her knee knocked the table, causing something to drop. Moving her chair back, she looked underneath the vanity table in confusion before she felt her heart flutter.

Reaching for the item, Lucy sat back in her chair properly and raised the item up to the others.

"What is it?" Mira asked. "A locket."

Lucy stared at the small gold locket before opening it with shaky hands.

A picture of her parents while her mother was pregnant was on the left while the picture on the right was of Layla and Jude smiling happily with Lucy beaming at the camera, squished between the two in a family embrace, her cheeks pressed against both of her parents.

Turning it over, she spotted in tiny writing;

_My Little Star_

She couldn't help the choked sob that tore from her throat from the grief that suddenly slammed into her heart.

"Oh, Lucy," Mira soothed as she hugged the blonde.

Wiping at her tears, Lucy let out a weak, shuddering laugh.

"I-I'm okay. I was just reminded of how much I miss her."

The door opened again and Michel entered.

"It's time to make your way to the stage, Lady Lucy," Michel spoke.

Lucy looked from the locket back to the mirror, her eyes aflame with determination.

"The show must go on."

* * *

><p>Once Lucy had disappeared for the backstage area, Natsu, Gray and Gajeel entered.<p>

"What's going on?" Gray asked, catching the girls as they were making their way out of the dresser room.

"You're here!" Levi exclaimed happily, hugging the Iron Dragon Slayer before he and the other two were shoved into the dressing room.

The three girls worked fast to dress the boys who had found themselves suddenly being stripped.

"What the- why are you...will someone explain to me what the hell is going on!?" Natsu exclaimed.

The three girls rushed through the explanation all the while forcing them into suits and by the time they had finished the story, the boys were dressed.

"Now let's hurry! Fairy Tail gets the first couple of front rows!"

* * *

><p>Lucy stood directly behind the curtain, hearing the loud chatter of the crowd, even through the thick material before her.<p>

"Can you hear me, Miss Lucy?" A voice asked, coming from her right on the other side of the curtain.

"Dave?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, it's me."

Dave was the pianist. He used to play accompaniment for Layla back in her day.

"I want you to know that mistake or no, your mother would be proud of you. You have grown into such a lovely young lady. It's an honor for me to play for you."

"Thank you so much, Dave. I'm glad it's you and not someone else. Mother used to say you cared for the opera house like it was your own child, that every note you played guided her through each song. It is _my_ honor to be singing with you."

"You are a very dear girl, child," Dave cracked from on the other side. "Break a mirror," he wished her.

An inside joke that only the Heartfilia would understand.

"I'm going for gold," she corrected him. "I'm going to break two."

Just then, the loud booming voice of Michel on the microphone drew silence from the crowd.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Heartfilia Opera House Grand Finale. For years, this building has been left to gather dust but on a whim I came back to give it the ending this house of beauty deserved. The day Layla Heartfilia died was the day this Opera House went out of business. There was no Opera without Layla but it seems fate has a round about way of working. Tonight, singing a song written by the lovely late Layla is her beautiful daughter, Lucy Heartfilia!"

The curtains opened and Lucy raised her eyes to the beaming light and the applause of the crowd.

* * *

><p><strong>[AN: Though the lyrics are mine, I'd suggest listening to Diva's Song from Blood +. Imagine she's singing that]**

The audience was dead silent as the late comers tried to get to their seats without making much noise.

As the piano began a soft gentle tone, the violinist came in with a haunting sound.

Everyone made it to their seats aside from Natsu but as the first hum of sound came from Lucy, it was like a blanket of paralysis settled over the audience, stopping Natsu in his tracks.

Only when her hum paused, did everyone let out a breath they hadn't know they were holding. Lucy looked around the crowd as the orchestra eased through the music when her eyes landed on Natsu, staring at her with eyes filled with awe. He was standing in front of his seat, their guildmates sitting in their chairs around him.

Her heart skipped a beat, deciding she was definitely happy he had made it rather than missing her performance.

She gave him a smile filled with affection and words only he could understand. He slowly sank down to his seat and Erza patted his hand while Gray gave him a nod.

Above her, the lyrics appeared in Italian (the language the song was sung in) and the English translation as she parted her lips to let the hypnotic melody flow.

_Senti caro, _  
><em>Per la mia canzone delle stelle. <em>

Her voice was high and dainty as it sung the words written by a mother passed. Her audience was captivated as they once were by her mother before her.

_Questa voce di mia spero di arrivare a te, _  
><em>Portate con voi conforto nel momento del bisogno. <em>

_Prego mie parole cullare il sonno, _  
><em>E la mia canzone cacciare via le tue paure. <em>

_Lungi da questa terra, un mondo a sé, _  
><em>Un giorno sarò lì. <em>

_Le luci che riempiono il cielo sono lì per mantenere di nuovo al buio. _  
><em>Ci rivolgiamo a loro per orientamento e di speranza. <em>

_Un giorno, si deve affrontare questo mondo senza di me. _  
><em>Sarò in quell'altro paese, frizzante. <em>

_I nostri giorni sono contati, ma non essere triste, _  
><em>Per Sarò sempre splenderà per voi come avete dimostrato per me. <em>

_Eri la mia piccola stella, _  
><em>Qui per scacciare il mio buio. <em>

_Lei mi ha dato speranza e mi ha mostrato amore. _

_Mi duole ammettere che un giorno il mio corpo morirà, _  
><em>Ma il mio spirito sarà nel cielo, veglia su di voi. <em>

_Un giorno vi unirete a me e faremo la nostra costellazione. _  
><em>Ma vivere bene e raggiungere le stelle, <em>  
><em>La mia piccola stella.<em>

Tears glittered down the blonde's cheeks as she sung with the accompaniment. This part was to demonstrate her vocal control and she flew through it with ease. The ending was coming, escalating to finish high.

She never could get the last note right but she would try. Wrapped around her right hand was the locket, catching light as she raised her arms and head, reaching for the stars. Just like her mother wanted.

Down the scales she went before her voice flew up.

* * *

><p>Everyone could feel it, the ending. As the orchestra played quickly, their hearts raced. Her voice blended beautifully with the song, never missing a beat. Their heart strings tugged with every step in the scales she went down before she rose up the steps again, teasing them.<p>

It seemed everyone was on the edge of their seats, grasping the arms of the chair.

The orchestra cut out, leaving only the percussions to roll with her to the top.

Lucy threw her head back and released a loud, high tone resonating through the auditorium. Shivers jumped through every body, goose bumps raising on everyone within the room. The lights cut out abruptly with the voice, bathing everyone in darkness except a small space on the stage where the moon shone its own spotlight on the Spirit mage.

Lucy's head had dipped at the end, the last part having taken her breath. She raised her head to look at the moon, panting, and her tears sparkled like crystals. Just outside the window, she spotted the glittering figure of her mother smiling before fading back into the moon.

A ghost of a smile formed on her lips before thundering noise assaulted her ears. Jolting in surprise, the lights raised revealing her audience she had forgotten about.

_'I did it...'_

* * *

><p>A ball was held in the grand hall for her and her friends to end a successful night.<p>

"You were amazing, Lu-chan!" Levi cried.

Lucy blushed as everyone practically said the same thing. As the music started, Lucy was spun around on the dance floor by many; Loke, Hibiki, Gray, Sting.

All complimented her and her performance. It was at the end of her dance with Rogue that someone cut in.

"Natsu?" Lucy asked, surprised. "You can't dance."

"There's no need to be mean about it," he grunted. "Just take my hand, weirdo."

Lucy giggled as Rogue passed her off with a smile and Natsu led her through the dance.

He held her close, leaving Lucy bright red. Natsu, too, was blushing and looking everywhere but the woman in his arms.

"I didn't know you could sing like that," he murmured softly.

Lucy looked up at him in surprise, only to flush darker when she realised he was close enough to kiss. If he looked down at her and bent down just a bit...

"I-I..." she trailed, mind blank.

She cleared her throat before trying again.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Natsu paused in their dance and looked down at her.

"A good thing, idiot. I'm trying to-" he blushed when he noticed how close they were.

"I'm glad you came to see it," Lucy whispered, heart pounding.

"Of course I came," he spoke under his breath, the distance between their lips becoming smaller as he slowly lent down. "I'll always come for you."

_'That was such a romantic thing to say, Natsu...'_ was the only coherent thought she could muster as she raised on her toes to close the distance between them.

With a final dip of his head, Natsu captured her lips in a gentle kiss, their eyes fluttering shut. One hand dropped to her waist while the other cradled her cheek. Her hands moved to his chest to keep her balance on her toes as their tongues began a new, slow dance. So caught up in the moment, they didn't realise the sudden halt of movement and sound.

When they finally did pull away, staring affectionately into each others eyes, a round of applause brought their focus back to their crowd. Wolf whistles and cheers accompanied the clapping while the two could only flush in embarrassment. Without looking at her, Natsu's hand found hers. Lucy looked down at their intertwined fingers, then up to Natsu who still refused to meet her gaze before she beamed at her friends, despite her blush and even though he was glaring at Gray, Natsu lips were turned up in a sheepish grin.

It was an ending worthy of the Heartfilia name.

* * *

><p><strong>English lyrics.<strong>

_**Listen dear one,  
>To my song of the stars.<br>**__**  
>This voice of mine I hope to reach you,<br>Bring you solace in your time of need.**_

_**I pray my words will lull you to sleep,  
>And my song chase away your fears.<br>**__**  
>Far from this land, a world of its own,<br>One day I will be there.**_

_**The lights that fill up the sky are there to keep back the dark.  
><strong>__**We look to them for guidance and hope.  
><strong>__**  
>One day, you must face this world without me.<br>I will be in that other land, sparkling.**_

_**Our days are numbered but don't be sad,  
>For I will always be shining for you as you have shown for me.<br>**__**  
>You were my own little star,<br>Here to chase away my dark.**_

_**You gave me hope and shown me love.  
><strong>__**It pains me to admit one day that my body will die,**_

_**But my spirit will be in the sky, watching over you.  
><strong>__**One day you will join me and we will make our own constellation.**_

_**But live well and reach for the stars,  
><strong>__My little star_.

**I made up the lyrics so I own this poem/song. Just saying so again.**


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